Traveling Soldier
by CindyVortex88
Summary: Jimmy and Cindy are eighteen years old and their love for each other is deeper than ever. One day Jimmy gets letter in the mail forcing him to leave his love and all he's called his home. Years after he left Cindy hasn't heard from him. *Chapter 2 is up!*
1. I'll Wait for You Forever

Hey everyone! It's me again! Yay! Heehee.well, this is my second fic and I hope you all like it ^^ I'm going to finish "Last Kiss" too so don't worry. I REALLY hope you like this one because I worked hard on it ^^ okay...ummmmmmm.please R/R ^^ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
Many years had past since the horrible attacks of September 11th, Jimmy was now a young man of eighteen one day the news came, the heartbreaking, tearful news.  
  
Jimmy aimlessly walked into his kitchen. Having no particular reason to be there, he slowly scanned the room with his eyes as if trying to find something to occupy himself with. He had grown into a handsome boy, his deep ocean blue eyes sparkled with his enthusiasm when he spoke. His voice was like velvet smooth and beautiful, deep and caring, like a security blanket that was so warm you would smile when you rubbed against it's soft and comforting material. His expressions glittered with excitement, when he spoke of his work. Devoted he was to the world of scientific matters, everything seemed to be important to him, always concerned for others, careful about what he said and did. He was not one to take things for granted. Once he was teased and taunted by fellow peers for his height, now a towering 6'3" he'd out grown more than half his friends. His outfit consisted of a navy blue t-shirt, a pair of jeans and some old, worn in, black sneakers.  
  
He slid his hand across the counter, tapping his fingers when he stopped. He turned to face the table and leaned on the countertop. He let out a sigh as he looked out the window and noticed the rain tattering at the glass, it seemed to be laughing at him, because he was more fond of the warmer, carefree days in Retroville. Every pitter and every patter mocked Jimmy's desire to be outside in the beautiful natural sunlight. He loved to bask in the sun and let it swoon around him warming his body, but alas,there was no sun today. He tilted his head slightly and crossed his arms before he eyed the mountain of mail left on the kitchen table. It was usually separated into piles according to category by now if his mother had brought it in. He, for the most part left the mail alone. If it was for him, he'd get it eventually. After his mother had sorted out the junk mail, magazines and bills, but today something seemed to beckon him from unopened envelopes containing surprises only for the beholder to see, good or bad.  
  
He reached and flipped through the letters quickly not expecting anything for himself but was surprised to find a certain letter addressed to a Mr. James Neutron. He placed the others back on the sleek, and clean table. And turned to face the counter and open his. Without looking at the return address he tore open the seal and reached for whatever was inside. He pulled out a piece of neatly folded expensive looking paper. He unwrapped the paper from it's prison and began to read what the words had said. His eyes jolted from word to word while his heart fell. A lump formed in his throat when he could comprehend the words. He shook his head trying to realize what he was reading, again he read the paper, over and over checking to make sure what he was seeing was real. But it was real, real as day. Jimmy took one more look at the letter that had now become his biggest fear, he knew, like so many others that he could not escape this undeniable fate. He swallowed hard and closed his eyes, he was trapped now.  
  
*~*~Two weeks later~*~*  
  
Jimmy had all his things packed, the bare necessities. Some paper, envelopes and stamps were packed as extra. He took a deep breath and closed his eyes. He looked around his room with sad eyes. He walked across to his bureau and gazed into the mirror, he glanced at his reflections. That morning he had already had a unbearable parting with his second love, his lab. Endless hours of his childhood was spent in that lab, he laughed as he remembered those. But the one he couldn't bring himself to think of now was the one that brought him the greatest amount of joy imaginable. He loved her with all his heart and soul, a love that ran so deep that sometimes he would dream about her at night and not get up in the morning just so he could go back to sleep and see her. It was an undying love, nothing could ever stop this passion he felt, that was of course returned to him through her. This one he loved so much was Cindy Vortex his girlfriend. He would have described her as the most wonderful, beautiful living thing in the entire universe. They had, had rough patches in their relationship. Especially when they were younger, but the reason for those were just because their affections for each other fooled them into acting cruelly. Once they had realized their love, all was amazing in the world for Jimmy Neutron and Cindy Vortex, the cutest couple at Retroville High. They were perfect for each other, everyone agreed. Jimmy grabbed a small, framed picture of his beloved off his nightstand and shoved it into his rucksack. He walked to the door of his room with his bag and looked back into it, he took a deep breath and turned away leaving his possessions behind, he shut the door.  
  
He started his way down the stairs walking slowly, absorbing every memory he could like a sponge to water. He eyed the family photographs perched on the wall as he declined. Nearing his front door he hesitated a he came closer to the last step, he knew once he walked out the door there was no turning back. He reached for the knob and turned it clockwise to reveal what was outside. His parents stood with emotionless faces, his mother cried into his father's arms. She walked up to her son.  
  
Judy: "Oh my boy..my beautiful baby boy" she said in a brokenhearted voice, still crying, she wrapped her arms around his body and embraced him in a tight hug, he returned her motion with a hug of his own and closed his eyes feeling his mother's warmth. When she finally let go of him she looked up at his face and kissed his forehead, with tears streaming out from her eyes.  
  
Hugh walked up to Jimmy. Today he was not the fun, hearty man he usually was. He seemed to be a different person. He gave his only a son a pat on the back  
  
Hugh: "Go get em' Jimbo" was all he managed to sputter out before breaking into tears himself.  
  
Jimmy swallowed and nodded to his father. Three of his closest friends awaited him at the beginning of his walkway. First he walked by Libby, the forever best friend of Cindy.  
  
Libby: "Jimmy, you be careful now you hear me?" she warned him with a waver in her voice. "I don't want anything.to.." and before she could finish a few tears had managed to escape her eyes, Jimmy gave her a kiss on the cheek.  
  
He brought his attention to the person next to her, a tall boy, he was witnessing what would become his fate soon enough, if luck wasn't thrown his way. He had rather beautiful brown eyes and shining ebony hair. He watched Jimmy's family member's pain. He couldn't bear to think that would might be his own. They looked at each other for a long time then he spoke.  
  
Sheen: "Jimmy, I'm gonna miss you man" "Nail a couple of them for me okay?" he said trying to add humor to this solemn occasion. He extended his hand to shake Jimmy's . Then preformed a hand-shake that they had formed when they were thirteen, when it was cool. He nodded to Jimmy as he walked toward his other friend. A stout person, he was shorter than Jimmy and Sheen, his bright orange hair seemed to twist in every direction.  
  
Carl: "Jim..I uh..well..I don't know what to say..I'm really gonna..well..I don't know I..just" then a big, sad pout formed while his bottom lip started to quiver a little. It was like Carl to get emotional.  
  
Jimmy: "I'm gonna miss you too Carl" he said with a small forced smile to his friend who was at a loss of words. Jimmy who was now in front of the camouflage colored army truck, threw his backpack into the back and turned to face the one whom he had given his heart to.  
  
Jimmy: "Cindy..I.." was all he could say  
  
She had her hair up as usual and was slim and beautiful, her long golden blonde hair glistened in the morning hour sunlight. He eyes were full of tears.  
  
Jimmy: "Awwwww.come on Cindy..don't cry hun." " It's.it's gonna be okay" he tried to calm her and himself with some soothing words. But despite his attempt she started to cry softly and then leaned into his chest for a tight hug. He hugged her back just as tight. He pulled her away from her grasp on his body and looked into her eyes. Sparkling green emeralds filled with tears making their appearance shimmer. She looked up at him, sniffling, still crying. Jimmy needed to be strong for her, he couldn't let her know what he was fearing. He needed to be brave. He put his hand underneath her chin and pushed her head so she looked into his eyes.  
  
Jimmy: "Cindy I love you" "You know that okay? Honey?" "I told you that last night" he said , sounding comforting and secure.  
  
Cindy: "But..I'm going to miss you" she said, she was barely able to speak  
  
Jimmy: "I'm gonna to miss you too, but don't worry, you can send me letters remember?" " And I promise whenever you write to me I'll send you back one just as long with interest okay?"  
  
She nodded slowly  
  
General Abercrombie: "Three more minutes Neutron" the old and smug military general spoke from the passenger seat of the truck.  
  
Jimmy looked up to him, he didn't want to leave the woman he loved, the home he's always known, and his friends and family for a new life of fighting and military training for the ongoing war. He looked back to Cindy and they embraced each other with a passionate kiss. Neither wanted to let the other go. When they finally did part they held each others hands tight.  
  
Jimmy: "I have to go now" "Okay? Oh Cin, come on, gimme a smile?" he said playfully "It's not like I'm going away forever" he added to reassure her.  
  
Cindy felt the need to cry again but she didn't want to disappoint Jimmy, he was being so brave, she couldn't let him down. They kissed one more time and then Jimmy got into the truck leaving a broken-hearted Cindy behind in the small town of Retroville.  
  
Jimmy: "I love you" was the last thing he said before the truck started up and drove away. He kept his eyes glued to her figure until it was out of view. They both very well knew that that may have been the last time they'd ever see each other, but they would never say it.  
  
Cindy: "I love you too Jimmy Neutron!" she shouted after the truck as it drove off in the landscape.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~+*+*+*+*+*+~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~  
  
"And that was the last time I saw him" Cindy wrote into her diary in neat cursive handwriting. Years had passed since that day Jimmy left. Cindy was now a grown woman of twenty-one years old. She still had her beauty and her slim figure, her intelligence, and her charming wit, but there was one thing that was missing.  
  
"God, it's been years since he left that day, I just miss him so much. I can still remember the exact things that happened..like it was yesterday" "Today is the third anniversary of the day he left.I really wish" her writing was interrupted when the door bell rang. She got up from her seat and walked over to the door in her apartment, before she opened it she glanced through the little peek hole and saw her best friend waiting on the other side. She was dressed in an orange tank top and black spandex pants with a black felt sweatshirt. She had her purse in one hand and her hair up. She looked like she just came from the gym.  
  
Cindy: "One second Libby" she shouted from the inside. She opened the door and let her come inside. "Thanks for coming over, I really needed to get out of here today"  
  
Libby: "No problem girl, I'm always happy to come over here and watch.."she stopped herself in mid-sentence when she saw the look on Cindy's face. "Cin, you okay?"  
  
She managed to nod to Libby, she wanted to cry. She was thinking of Jimmy, this day always brought back the worst of her memories.  
  
Libby: "Cindy, don't worry, you know what?" "If you ever want to-" she was interrupted when Cindy sputtered out  
  
Cindy: "I just need to get out of here Libby, I'll be back later okay?" then she left without another word.  
  
Libby shook her head, she hated to see Cindy in this pain. Especially on this day, Cindy always would go off by herself on the anniversary of Jimmy's departure to serve the U.S. Army. Libby propped he purse and keys up onto Cindy's black, marble kitchen counter. Cindy was the owner of a very expensive, glamorous apartment in the finest part of the city, in one of the most amazing skyscrapers thanks to her parents. Libby looked around wondering what she could do when she heard a small shrill scream of happiness.  
  
Libby: "Where's my favorite little girl!?" Libby shouted excitedly after hearing the yell "I'm gonna find you Faithie!" She said as she ran around and found her.  
  
Faith: "You always find me!" the little three year old girl exclaimed "And don't call me Faithie, my name is Faith! She said very bluntly.  
  
Libby: "Oh okay then"  
  
Faith: "Where's Mommy?" she questioned cutely  
  
Libby: "Mommy went out to have a personal day sweetie pie, so Auntie Libby's gonna babysitt for you!" Faith jumped up and down like she just discovered a mountain of candy all her own. Her little brown shiney curls bounced up and down when she jumped and her big, beautiful, sparkling blue eyes glimmered with excitement. "So what do you want to do honey?" Libby asked.  
  
Faith: "Let's play with Mommy's make-up!!!" she suggested happily. When Cindy was gone was the only time she could even go near her mother's make- up without getting in trouble. So she took advantage of the situation.  
  
Libby: "I don't know if she'll like that to much Faith" but before she could continue her explanation Faith had already grabbed Libby's hand and was pulling her into Cindy's bedroom. "Honey why can't we just do your hair or something?" Faith had beautiful hair, it was long past her shoulders and it had a soft curl to it. It felt like silk and shined like the stars on the clearest night. Libby loved to play with it as well as Cindy. She wore a pink dress with a small pink bow on one side of her head, with her hair down.  
  
Faith ran to Cindy's make-up cabinet and started rummaging through it like a wild animal who had just found a picnic basket, taking out various items. There was no use stopping her Libby thought, she'd just through a tantrum. Libby walked away from Faith and started walking around Cindy's room.  
  
Libby: "Damn, this is a great place" she said as she walked around Cindy's room, looking at everything then she came to Cindy's desk. Stopped when she saw a number of old letters and envelopes scattered across it, with her diary beside them, her pen marking the page she was on before Libby came. She didn't want or mean to go looking through Cindy's personal things, but who could resist? She looked back and made sure Faith was safe from harms way and then sat down in Cindy's black leather computer chair and started looking at all the items placed on the desk. She picked up one letter, it was out of the envelope but folded and placed in the corner of her desk. She held it and then put it down.  
  
Libby: "What am I doing? I can't look through this.." But curiosity got the best of her when she picked up Cindy's diary and uneasily opened the cover. Inside, on the first page, printed in a child's handwriting was the name Cindy Vortex, where she had wrote it so many years ago. Libby again stopped, her conscience halting her from reading her best friend's most inner thoughts. "There's nothing else to do...and nobody will ever know" she reassured herself. She opened to a more recent page that had been written three years before and begun to read what the entry had said  
  
September 16th, 2009  
  
Dear Diary,  
  
I miss Jimmy so much I can't stand it, and he's only been gone a few months. I have some news, I'm so scared, I don't know what I should do. The night before Jimmy had left, we had spent the night together and we connected in a way I can't explain. It was amazing, but it had some unforseen consequences unfortunately. I'm having a baby. There, I wrote it..Jimmy and I are going to be parents and he's thousands of miles away from me. I'm so lost, I don't know what to do..I have to tell my parents *sigh* they are going to be very VERY angry. I need Jimmy to be here with me.I can't do this alone. I miss him so much, every night I cry and pray for him. Well, at least I admitted that to you Diary. ~Cindy Libby: "Wow.I never knew she was so." she rambled off to herself as she finished the entry and looked up from the page.  
  
Faith: "AUNTIE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!" she screamed loudly  
  
Libby: "Ahh!! What?! What?!" Libby said as she sprang out of her chair and faced her god child.  
  
Faith: "Which looks better on me? The Pink Fusion or the Mystic Magenta?" she questioned holding up to shades of lipstick in her hand. Libby sighed.  
  
Libby: "God baby, You scared me half to death, I thought you hurt yourself or somethin' "You really shouldn't be playing with that, your mom's going to be angry when she gets back" Faith paid no heed to her warning and stood there still waiting for an answer. Libby sighed again. "Well, if your going to be that way about it, ummm.neither" "Your more of a Chocolate Cappuccino sweets" The little girl looked at the make-up in her hands and dropped them, and turned to find the color Libby suggested. Libby shook her head and turned back to the desk.  
  
She looked back down and picked up an envelope that had the date "October 7th" written across the top. Apparently Cindy had organized them in chronological order. She took the letter out of the envelope that was crumpled and dirty obviously because of it's long journey. She unfolded the paper and turned on the light that sat on Cindy's desk. Whoever had written this had awful penmanship, Libby struggled to read it.  
  
Dear Cindy,  
  
I can't write to much now, I know I promised that I'd write more to you but it's just gotten to hectic over here for me to write that much anymore. I can't believe the news you gave me last time you wrote me. Your really pregnant? Wow, I'm going to be a Daddy. If I were there I squeeze you so tight. I'm so sorry I'm not there with you, and I'm also sorry about the trouble I got you in with your parents. If I were there they'd have yelled at me. I'm so glad you don't hate me for what I did, I take full responsibility, I'm sorry. I hope you are.I mean, you both are doing okay. I wish I was there. Your going to be due in February right? Since I left in June and that's when we.um..yah. You have no idea how badly I want to be with you now. I miss you too much. When I get back we'll get married I promise, if you want to that is. I think of you every second. Love, Jimmy  
  
Libby put down the letter and carefully placed it back into the envelope.  
  
Libby: "That is so sad.I remember her telling me she wrote Jimmy and told him..but I never saw the one he wrote back" she said as she placed the letter back in it's spot.  
  
Libby was poring over with curiosity. She wanted to read more. She picked up Cindy's diary again and flipped to another page.  
  
December 28th, 2009  
  
Dear Diary,  
  
I spent a Christmas without Jimmy, I can't believe it.*sigh* I just miss him so much, the holidays weren't the same without him. School is going good I guess, but it's hard to be a pregnant college student without anybody to turn to.Except Libby of course. But this whole Christmas thing must be just as bad for his parents too. I just finished writing him another letter telling him that I went to the Ultra Sound technician and everything is fine. We are going to be the parents of a beautiful new baby girl. She is healthy thank god. Jimmy is doing okay now, thank god too. Today Sheen took me aside and told me if I ever needed anybody to talk to he'd be there, can you believe that? Out of all people, Sheen. Well, it was sweet of him anyways. I don't know how I'm going to this baby-thing without Jimmy. We are going to get married when he comes back, which will hopefully be soon. I can't live without him diary! I love him to much to be apart! I sent him a copy of the Ultra Sound pictures. I don't know what we'll name her. Well, I'll write more later. ~Cindy  
  
Libby was glad that she had started to read these letters and entries. She had learned more from doing so then all that Cindy ever told her. But she still felt somewhat guilty for reading them. She went to find the next letter from Jimmy that would correspond to Cindy's entry. When she looked for the date and reached for the letter she realized it was the last one in the pile. The outside was marked "January 2010". She opened it carefully and started to read it.  
  
Dear Cindy,  
  
She is beautiful, just like her mother. The Ultra sound pictures are amazing, that's little you and me in there. I put them right next to your photo Cindy. My two girls, my two angels next to each other. You have no idea how much I wish I was with you, I love you more than anything. I can't write too much now. What should we name her? Listen Cindy, I know your not going to like this but, it's getting kind of rough over here, don't worry but I won't be able to write for a while okay? I love the baby, I love you more than anything. I think of you always. Love Forever, Jimmy  
  
Libby slowly took her eyes off the paper and thought about what she had read in a melancholy state.  
  
Cindy: "That's the last time I ever heard from him" she spoke standing directly behind Libby, like she was there the whole time watching over her shoulder. Snapping Libby away from her own thoughts and making her jump up in fright.  
  
Libby: "Cindy!" "How the heck did you get in here?!" she yelled obviously surprised and startled  
  
Cindy: "It's my apartment, I have a key remember?" "Who said you could go through my things?"  
  
Libby: "I'm sorry girl, the letters were just there I never saw them before and your diary was just open and I.." She replied quickly trying to explain her actions.  
  
Cindy: "No." Then she paused as if she was deciding whether to get angry or not. Then she continued with " I mean, who said you could go through my stuff?" she said as she pointed to her make-up strewn about the floor. Libby looked relieved that Cindy wasn't angry with her. Cindy sat down on her bed after she had put her purse, coat and keys away. Libby got up from the chair she was in and walked over to Cindy.  
  
Libby: "Why didn't you ever tell me before?"  
  
Cindy: "I don't know" she said as she got up and walked over to her desk to straiten out whatever Libby had done.  
  
Libby: "Cindy...I know this is hard for you..I know this day is hard for you but.."  
  
Cindy: "But what Libby?!" "The only reason I took those out, was so I could see them after all this time..because I miss him.I still do, I always do and you know that" "And I'd appreciate if you wouldn't ask me about it anymore okay?" then she paused for a moment "That was the last letter I ever got from him.." Then she continued with the subject to Libby's surprise "The last letter I ever sent was the one I wrote the day after Faith was born, February fourteenth.." "Valentines Days.the day for love and happiness.." she smiled when she thought of her daughter, but then it quickly vanished from her face." "I wrote it on the fifteenth, It had a picture of her inside of it...and some other things.I said I'd always love him, and I'd wait for him forever....and I've been waiting.three years have past since I heard from him. He never wrote back again." She said with a teary voice.  
  
Libby: "Oh Cindy" she said as she went up and put her arm on her shoulder. "Give me a hug girl" they hugged and then broke apart. "So you've never heard from him..since that letter?" Cindy nodded 'no' slowly. "I'm so sorry Cindy"  
  
Cindy: "It's.okay.really, I'm fine..you can go now if you want" she said wiping her eyes "Faith is washing off that clown mask you let her put on." she said with a small grin.  
  
Libby: "Your sure your gonna be okay?" Cindy nodded yes again not using words for fear of crying. She followed Libby to the door. Cindy was handing her her things when Faith ran up.  
  
Faith: "Auntie Auntie!!!" she called as she ran up with little steps. "Are you leaving all ready?" Libby took a glance at Cindy and then spoke "Yeah honey, but I'll be back for another visit in a few days okay?" she reached her hand out to ruffle her hair but before she could Faith grabbed her wrist and eyed her bracelet.  
  
Faith: "That's a pretty bracelet Auntie"  
  
Libby: "Thank you sweetheart" she said as she raised her hand to observe it herself. "It is isn't it?" she said again when she came across the gems placed on the golden chain  
  
Faith: "Where'd you get it?" her little face full of curiosity.  
  
Libby: "My Father gave it to me" she responded naturally  
  
Faith: "That's nice" she replied cutely and then went up to Cindy and tugged at her pant leg. "Mommy.Mommy" she repeated  
  
Cindy: "What is it pumpkin?" She said when looked down to see her daughter's big sky colored eyes staring up at her  
  
Faith: "Mommy, why don't I have a Daddy like you and Auntie Libby?"  
  
Cindy's mouth opened slightly, for she was speechless. She was racking her brain for answers, but she came up short will nothing, he daughters questions brought back nothing more than more memories of Jimmy.  
  
Cindy: "Um.well.honey.you do have a Daddy" "He's just.not..not here" she stammered trying not to have her eyes water so Faith didn't sense her emotions.  
  
Faith: "Well, I wanna meet him" "My friends Ann-Marie and Lisa...and umm..Janelle all have Daddy's at their houses" "I want to see my Daddy...why haven't I ever seen him?"  
  
Libby looked at Cindy awkwardly  
  
Libby: "Maybe I should go" she suggested "Faith I think you should go upstairs and play in your room for a little while" she commanded lightly as she gently pushed her in the direction of her room.  
  
Cindy was sitting with her eyes closed on the family room's black leather chair, trying to gather her thoughts.  
  
Cindy: "Libby, let her stay......" "It's about time I talked to her about this any way" Libby looked at Cindy uncertainly and then said  
  
Libby: "Um...okay, sweetie, lets go over to hear what Mom has to say" she directed Faith towards Cindy.  
  
Cindy looked at her daughter with a kind face. She loved Faith more than anything in the world, her daughter meant everything to her. She knew someday she'd become curious about her father, she knew the time would come for her to have to talk about Jimmy to her. She took a deep breath and lifted Faith into her lap. She looked into her eyes. Libby walked into the kitchen, out of sight, but made sure that she was in range of hearing what Cindy was saying, then she quietly left.  
  
Cindy: "Well honey" she started off soft and slow "Your Daddy was a very.very brave man" Faith nodded, happy she was finally being exposed to the idea that she actually had a father. "And well..when he was eighteen years old, he had to go off and fight the awful mean people in the war" she tried to sugar coat it, so not to frighten Faith.  
  
Faith: "Why did he have to go?" she questioned  
  
Cindy: "Well..he didn't have a choice honey.he had to go" she said  
  
Faith: "Did he love us?"  
  
Cindy's expression grew sympathetic  
  
Cindy: "Of course he loved us Faith! He always loved us..you and me both" she replied making sure that her girl understood that Jimmy would have done anything for them. "Daddy loved us more than anything" "That's why he went to fight, her wanted to make sure we were safe and happy"  
  
Faith: "Where is he?" she asked, she was beginning to notice the distress on her mother's face, she asked a little bit sweeter, to make sure she didn't upset her. Cindy didn't reply for a minute, then when she spoke her voice was a little shaky.  
  
Cindy: "Well sweetheart..Mommy..mommy doesn't exactly know where Daddy is right now"  
  
Faith: "Why?"  
  
Cindy: "Because...because..I haven't talked to him in a long time honey" her eyes began to become watery.  
  
Faith: "What was his name?"  
  
Cindy: "James.James Isaac Neutron.I called him Jimmy"  
  
Faith: "Is that why my last name is Neutron and yours isn't?"  
  
Cindy: "Yes pumpkin..that's why" her voice was getting weaker by the second. Jimmy had never come home so he and Cindy were never able to get married, but when Faith was born Cindy gave the child Jimmy's name in his honor.  
  
Faith: "What was he like?" Cindy then gave up trying to hide her emotions and began to let a few single tears stream down her cheeks. "Mommy..what's the matter?" she asked caringly as she wiped Cindy's face with her hand gently, trying to get the tears off.  
  
Cindy: "Well.I just miss your Daddy very much that's all" she said as she sniffed and wiped her eyes  
  
Faith: "What did he look like?" she asked. Cindy looked at her daughter closely.  
  
Cindy: "Your Daddy had the most beautiful blue eyes..." she said as she peered into her daughters own eyes. "And he..had soft brown hair, he was gorgeous" "Come here" she said to Faith as she got up from the chair and put Faith on the ground. Her daughter followed her, wondering what her mother was going to do. She followed her all the way into Cindy's bedroom. Cindy sat down at her desk again and took the car keys out of her pocket. She singled out a certain key and unlocked a certain drawer in her desk. She opened it up. She reached her hand inside it and pulled something out. Faith eagerly ran up to her mother's side, anxiously awaiting to find out what she was holding in her hand. After Cindy had locked the drawer again she moved closer to her daughter to reveal a picture of Jimmy to her.  
  
Cindy: "That's Daddy" she said pointing to him then handing her the picture to hold. It was a picture of hi when he was eighteen, taken only a few months before he was drafted. Faith grabbed it in her tiny hands and stared at it wide eyed. She loved the way her father looked. She finally knew what he was like. Her heart had risen so high. She finally got to see his face. "You can have that if you want" "I have others" Cindy said. Faith looked up at her with big eyes and a huge smile.  
  
Faith: "Thank you Mommy! Thank you!" "I'll keep it forever!" she said as she hugged Cindy. Cindy smiled and could help but let out a small laugh at her daughter's excitement. Faith started running off to her room. Cindy turned to face the opposite direction when Faith came running back in, she turned around again quickly to see what her daughter wanted.  
  
Faith: "Mommy..will Daddy ever come home?" she decided to ask one more question of her mother. Her little voice was full of hope. Cindy pulled Faith towards her and cupped her face with her gentle, young hands.  
  
Cindy: "I pray to God sweetie..we'll just have to hope and wait and be patient and we'll have to..have some Faith" then she gave a small smile. Faith now understood how she got her name. But she still missed her father, she wanted to know him and to have a regular family like her friends. Cindy was missing Jimmy now more then ever. She was determined to find out if he was still out there.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Yay!!!!! Chapter one is done!! My second fic! Whoo hoo!!! ^^ Well, I'll write more to this fic asap.I'm going to finish "Last Kiss' too so don't worry about that ^^ well, please R/R and I hope you liked this one ^^ *~Cindy V.~* 


	2. Soldier Comes Home

Thanks for all the nice reviews guys^^, well heres Chapter 2, I hope you like it, it's kind of long..^^ please R/R, ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
Cindy's apartment was silent in the morning hours, it was about eleven o'clock, the sun was almost vertical in the sky, shining down on the bustling city. Rays from the giant heat lamp shone into Cindy's apartment window and scattered through out her living room. Where little Faith sat watching her favorite morning cartoons flash on and off the big, plasma, television screen. She was sporting some pink, footed pajamas with a cute white bunny on the soft shirt. She had a sippy cup full of icecold apple juice in her hands. Every time her favorite character would pop up on the screen she'd clap her hands in delight, as her eyes lit up with joy.  
  
T.V.: "Uncle Sam wants you! To Join the U.S. army!" the television blared out loudly, Faith was to busy sipping apple juice to pay attention to the adds. She walked over to the giant, crystal clear window on the side of her living room and looked down, below she saw the street and the entrance way to her apartment. Cindy was probably the ONLY one to live in such a divine place in her entire college. Faith heard a soft knock on her apartment door and skipped over to it, without thinking she opened the door up to whoever was knocking. She looked up. A tall man stood before her, he had beautiful hair, it was black as midnight. His playful dark brown eyes looked shiney. His deep olive skin made him look more handsome than anything. He was very tall. He looked down to her and picked her up and started to tickle her stomach.  
  
Faith: "Hey!" she then started to giggle loudly because she was being tickled so much, she kicked her little feet hard until she was let go and put back down on the ground.  
  
Nick: "Hey beautiful" he said as he spoke to Faith who now stood looking up at him in his raspy, handsome voice "Who said you could just open the door without askin' who it is huh?" "Be careful, there are creeps out there" He then looked over to the television and put his black leather jacket onto the counter. "So whatcha watchin'?"  
  
Faith ran back into the living room from the kitchen, which was almost directly connected if the floor pattern didn't change from it's black marble to the white rug.  
  
Faith: "Dora!" she shouted happily as she pointed to the T.V. screen as the cartoon hopped around talking to her animal friends in Spanish. Nick nodded with no real interest.  
  
Cindy was walking out of her bathroom, wearing just a white bathrobe and a towel in her hair. She walked strait into the kitchen without thinking to look into her living room.  
  
Cindy: "Sweetie, was somebody at the door? Because I thought that I hear-" she stopped short behind her kitchen counter when she turned to face the living room and was greeted not by a little girl watching television, but Nick half-smiling at her with a raised eyebrow.  
  
Nick: "Love the outfit" he said with a small smile crossing is face  
  
Cindy: "Nick!" "How'd you get in here?!" she said as she tightened her bathrobe and pulled it together, holding it with her hands where it opened at her collar bone.  
  
Nick: "I walked in, how else?" "I can't walk through walls ya know" Cindy then took her attention off Nick and looked around him to Faith  
  
Cindy: "Faith! Did you let him in?" Faith's eyes were glued to the screen of the television, she quickly looked to her mother and nodded as if she missed even a split second of her show she'd just collapse. "You know your supposed to come get me when someone comes to the door!" she shouted at her daughter not harshly, but a little overwhelmed because Faith frequently did things like that. She sighed knowing that her daughter was now back into the wonderful world of cartoons and blocking out her every word. She looked back to Nick. "Um..did you want something?" she asked with a strange look on her face.  
  
Nick: "Yeah.um, I wanted to talk to you"  
  
Cindy: "Oh?" she asked curiously, her eyes made their way to the clock over the fireplace and she gasped slightly and shouted to her daughter. "Faith! Run up to your room and get ready! We have to drive you to pre-school in twenty minutes or we're going to be late!" Faith looked at her mother again as if pleaing to stay home. "Hurry up!" Cindy insisted again. Faith got up from her spot and went off to her room. Cindy was about to walk away and get ready herself when she remembered Nick standing there waiting for her as she commanded her daughter around.  
  
Cindy: "Nick?"  
  
Nick: "Huh?.oh yeah" he responded, his attention had drifted elsewhere while Cindy was talking to Faith but now he was back on subject. "Yah..um I wanted to talk to you?"  
  
Cindy: "Nick, I really can't, I have to be ready..in twenty minutes.actually nineteen now" she said as she spied the clock again.  
  
Nick: "Well, it's okay.it's really quick" he said as he rubbed the back of his neck "Maybe you'd like to..umm..join me for dinner tonight?" he questioned nervously. Cindy was a bit surprised he asked her that, she replied uneasy.  
  
Cindy: "Nick...no.I.I don't think so" she replied uneasily after a pause, "But thanks for the offer" then she started to walk to her bathroom. "You know your way out"  
  
Nick: "Cindy wait!" he grabbed the back of her arm and made her stop. "Cindy..I know, I know with um.Jimmy in all you haven't really.like.dated in stuff, but..it's been three years since you've heard from him" "He's never coming back Cindy! Just face it and get on with your life" "I mean...I know you've been waiting for him, but..I've been waiting for you" Cindy was shocked at the what Nick had said, he had never acted that way before.  
  
Cindy: "How dare you talk that way to me!" "I can wait for him as long as I want! You would feel the same way if the only person you've ever loved was taken away from you!" "And I know..I know he's still out there!" "So don't you ever tell me to just get over it!" "I can't believe you'd say something like that!" "Don't ever talk to me that way again!"  
  
Nick: "Fine! "Jesus! I was just tryin' to ask you out and you had to go and spaz on me!" "Listen, call me if you ever grow up okay?" he said as he grabbed his jacket and left her apartment.  
  
Cindy's expression was hard and angry but after Nick had slammed the door her face softened and became sad, then she started to cry. She put her head in her hands, she lifted it slowly, a tear or two trickling off her face, and her wet hair dripping onto the floor. When she lifted it she noticed her high school Diploma hanging on the wall. She walked over to it. She had remembered how fiercely Jimmy and her had competed for the title of Valedictorian, after months of hard work, the two that were in love found out Jimmy was the winner. Cindy got the spot of second in class. She had been feeling terrible, at graduation Jimmy had went up to her when they were receiving awards. He held her and whispered in her ear "Don't worry, you'll always be number one to me" then he kissed her forehead. Cindy closed her eyes and remembered the feeling of Jimmy's warm body up against her own.  
  
Cindy then remembered she had to drive her daughter to pre-school and ran into her bedroom to get ready. In no less than ten minutes Cindy was ready, dressed, her hair done and her make-up on. She walked into the kitchen and grabbed a juice box and a cereal bar for her daughter she was Supermom, all she needed was her daughter.  
  
Cindy: "Faith!" "Faith! Are you ready yet?" "We have to leave in five minutes!" she yelled up the stairs and heard no response. She sighed, and walked out of her kitchen and into her daughters bedroom, she saw that Faith hadn't even started to get ready. "Faith!" "Wh-Why haven't you even started to get dressed yet?" she questioned. Faith didn't respond to her question but simply walked over to her nightstand and took the framed picture of her father in her hands and slapped it on Cindy's lap. Cindy looked down to see Jimmy's smiling face and quickly looked back up so she wouldn't get too distressed from seeing him. "What does a picture of Daddy have to do with anything?" she questioned a little more soft and caring than she would have before, because the subject involved Jimmy.  
  
Faith: "In a few months is bring your Daddy to school day....everyone's Dad comes into school and tells what kinda job they do with their kid..and were gonna talk about it today"  
  
Cindy: "Oh sweetie" she gave her daughter a small hug. "Honey..I know that you want a father..and I know that you miss him, but I miss him too. And I'm sure that where ever Daddy is right now, he's thinking of us" "And maybe I can come into school for you instead?"  
  
Faith: "But it's not the same" she replied stubbornly "I want Daddy to come in for me"  
  
Cindy: "Honey, there is nothing that I can do" she said becoming a little agitated that her daughter was not getting the message. She thought quickly "Maybe if you don't want me to go in for you, then Grandpa Hugh can come in, would that be better? He is your granddaddy." "Plus, he is your Daddy's father too" Faith put her finger to her chin as if she was making a life altering decision.  
  
Faith: "I guess that would be okay...but still not the same.but I like Grandpa Hugh" then she gave a small giggle "He's funny"  
  
Cindy: "Oh yeah.he's just wonderful" she said sarcastically, dreading that she'd have to call and have him come over her house.  
  
Faith: "And..um.since he's Daddy's.um..Daddy maybe he can tell me some stories about when Daddy was little?" she questioned hopefully  
  
Cindy: "Oh I'm sure he will sweetie..Grandpa Hugh always has something to say" she said stressing her voice on the word always.  
  
Faith: "Actually no Mommy" she had changed her mind "I have a better idea" Cindy looked at her daughter strangely and wondered what she was up to.  
  
Cindy: "What are you going to do?" she questioned curiously, her daughter was very intelligent for her young age and Cindy was very proud of her. But she always had to be cautious, she was half Jimmy's child, and if she was anything like him at all, she was always forming a plan in her mind.  
  
Faith: "You'll see, its nothing big though" she replied  
  
Cindy: "Okay fine...now your sure you don't want me to call grandpa? Your sure?" Faith nodded "Alright.now hurry up and get ready before your late missy!" she handed Faith a pair of clothes and instructed her to get changed. No more then five more minutes had passed before Cindy was brushing Faiths hair and trying to do it up neatly.  
  
Faith: "That hurts!" she screeched as Cindy brushed all the knots and tangles out of her hair.  
  
Cindy: "I know it does, but deal with it sweetie, lots of people are getting hurt far more than this right now" Cindy pulled her daughters tangle-free hair tightly as she did it into one beautiful perfectly shaped French braid. She reached into one of her dressers and pulled out a small red bow and put it on the end of Faith's braid. "There, you look like a princess" "Now hurry downstairs and grab your breakfast off the table, and get your coat on...I'll make your bed and be right down" Cindy barked out orders, but in a sweet motherly tone as Faith hurried to fulfil them. Cindy had no idea how she managed to have such a normal life. It was perfect, she had no troubles like many other young mothers did. She had a gorgeous home, a lovely daughter, a magnificent car, a perfect job, her life wasn't tangled up. She had a hole in her heart though, and that was one thing that many others didn't have. Cindy was good at covering up her emotions, it was easy for her to act happy when she was really depressed on the inside. Nobody ever knew when she was feeling sad. Even when she thought of Jimmy, and wanted to cry out for him, which was frequent, and let tears stream down her face in rivers, she didn't. She acted like all was well and good, but she knew on the inside that everyday without him was getting to be harder and harder for her. She quickly made her daughter's bed up then scrambled to get downstairs.  
  
Cindy: "Let's go honey, shut off the T.V. and grab your coat" Cindy opened the closet near the door and pulled out her lightest white sweater, she put it on and grabbed her purse and car keys. Faith hurried to put on her own light spring jacket even though it was a few weeks into summer time. She grabbed her backpack and walked out of the apartment door and waited for her mother. Cindy walked out with her and turned to shut and lock her apartment door. "Come on" she grabbed Faith's hand and started to head towards the elevator. They got down into the lobby and went out into the street through the golden circle door in the front of the building. As soon as they got onto the sidewalk their heads were filled with the sounds of the city. Cars, people rushing around, music, sirens, airplanes, all kinds of things swirled in every direction. Cindy instructed the bellhop to get her car as she handed him the keys. After he had pulled up in her car she slipped ten dollars into his hand.  
  
Faith: "Mommy, why'd ya do that for?" she questioned as she hoped into the passenger seat and buckled her seatbelt.  
  
Cindy: "That's just something adults do Faith" "And don't say 'ya' it's 'you'" She said correcting her  
  
Faith pressed the power button on the radio and it started to play out music. The car was a shining metallic-silver on the outside and the inside was beige leather with a finished wood pieced steering wheel, the envy of all Cindy's friends.  
  
Radio: "Thanks for listening to WHKK this is your news reporter Leslie Banner with the latest...Today was the birth of the new World Trade Centers in the heart of New York City as the mayor of New York herself cut the red ribbon to mark the ceremonial opening. Also today the Laura McFall case is still on trial, her sentence to be told next week. News on the war consist of a harrowing 250 soldiers dead early this morning when they were massacred by the enemy forces by a surprise attack, 34 taken as prisoners of war and a theorized number of 34 Missing In Action. The nation is in mourning, let us pray for the brave men and women's souls, as the flag is held at half-mast today. And now for you weather is Jacob Free-" and with that Cindy shut the radio off quickly.  
  
Cindy: "That's quite enough of that" she spoke quickly and shut the radio off. The knowledge of knowing more soldiers had perished made her queasy and angry.  
  
Faith: "Why'd you shut it off? They were gonna play the national anthem" she inquired  
  
Cindy: "I don't want you hearing about those kind of things" Cindy drove her car speedily along the roads and arrived at the school. She lead her daughter inside. "That's your classroom, head inside and I'll be here to pick you up when schools over, mommy loves you, bye" she said as she gave Faith a kiss on the cheek, Faith skipped off to her friends and then headed inside her bright and cheery classroom. Cindy turned and walked back to her car, she got in and started to drive home. Cindy had parked her car and was now entering the Lobby of her apartment complex yet again.  
  
As she waited at the elevator she glanced over to the street through the huge windows that lined the front of the lobby. She looked outside and watched as a taxi cab pulled up in front of the door. She strained her eyes to see what the people that got of the car looked like since the Lobby was so big, and she was waiting at the elevator farthest to the opposite wall of the room. But her heart stopped when she saw two large men, one looked older and the other was young, probably only eighteen. They were dressed in army officials uniforms, the older one appeared to be in a higher rank than the younger one judging by his attire. She watched them get out, the older one had what appeared to be an envelope in one of his hands. Her eyes widened and she looked to the stairs, she tapped her foot violently waiting for the elevator. When it finally came she jolted inside and pressed the "close door" button about a thousand times. When she got to her floor she ran into her apartment and locked the door. She gasped for breath after running in the halls. She knew what that meant, when army men came to your door with a letter, it was about your husband, or son, or whoever, it meant they had died. Cindy never received one about Jimmy before so she prayed that he was still alive someplace. She had thought many times of the possibilities of him being Missing in Action, or a Prisoner of War, the thought made her shudder with despair. Maybe he had gotten lost and he was never found? And with every day he was struggling to survive on his own like many others, she thought. She knew that if that letter was for her than she would never see her beloved again. Ever.  
  
Cindy peeked through the door hole and into the hallway. An echo of men's voices could be heard turning the corner of the hall. She closed her eyes tight as she prayed for them not to be coming to her. The sounds came closer and then they came into view. She watched them both trudge as they walked closer and closer to her. The younger one was about three feet from her door. She sat down on the floor leaning against her door, waiting for the fate sealing knock. Cindy had lost all hope, she was about to burst into tears. The younger one pointed at her door "Is this it?" he asked his superior. The man looked at the letter in the boy's hand and nodded a 'no' The letter wasn't for her?! Jimmy could still be alive?! She was so happy! She let out a relieved sigh and shed one tear of joy, a small smile came across her face. She was still waiting for him, he could still be okay. But one thing didn't cross her mind, she stalled from her joy and thought a moment.  
  
Cindy: "If the letter's not for me.then whose is it?" she got up from the floor and looked out the peek whole again. She glanced as far left as she could, she heard a woman denying, then she heard her start to cry hysterically. She winced, her body was cold. The army men said their sympathies and then left the women to herself. She was crying and she left the door open to her apartment. Cindy opened the door when she was sure the army officials had left and ran to the woman in apartment 405.  
  
Cindy: "Shhh.Shhhh..it's okay" she said as she walked up to her and hugged her tight. Her tears colliding with Cindy's shirt. The letter was still in her hand. Cindy closed her eyes, still comforting the crying woman.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~  
  
In a few months at Faith's School---1 PM  
  
Cindy walked into her daughters preschool as many other couples strolled in to see their children. She walked silently as the bitter October chill set into her bones. She'd be graduating from college this year, she was excited for that, but even that she didn't look forward to these days. She walked along the hallways of the school, the city had the idea of intertwining Elementary School inter-city schools with Pre-school and Kindergarten. She paid no attention to anything else but she walked strait to the Faith's room. She was one of the last parents to arrive, mother and fathers stood together ready to see their prides and joys give their presentations. Cindy walked to the very back as the first child and his father walked to the front of the class.. Each child went up and told what kind of job their father did, with their dad beside them.  
  
Boy: "This is my Dad" is a Lawyer, he lies for people in a place called a court and helps the bad ones win and then they don't go to jail" the boy smiled proudly, his father then explained what his son 'really meant'. Child after child went up each with their father's smiling proudly behind them. Faith watched with envy filled eyes as each of her friends giggled as their fathers kissed them after they had done a good job. Next it was her turn. She walked in front of the classroom filled with her peers and their parents eyes looking at her. They followed her every move. She had something in her hands which she pressed to her chest. She began to speak in a small, little girl's voice.  
  
Faith: "This is my Daddy" she twirled around the object in her hands to show to the class, it was the picture of him that Cindy had given her. "He can't be here today ona counta he's out fighting in the war." "My Daddy's name is Jimmy Neutron, he is one of the bravest men in the whole wide world and he wants me and my Mommy to be safe and happy and that's why he went to fight." The parents in the room stared, they all felt sorry for Faith and her mother. The mothers looked around the room to find Cindy who was in the back leaning against the wall. They all thought to themselves how horrible it would be to have their husbands, brothers of older sons even to be taken away, this was happening everyday. Everybody was nervous to get the mail outside. Nobody wanted to see one of those horrible letters in their hands. Nobody wanted their loved ones to leave them. After the entire class had presented it was about time for the kids to go to home. Cindy walked along side Faith as they headed towards Cindy's car in the school parking lot.  
  
Faith: "Did you like my project Mommy?" she questioned  
  
Cindy: "Of course, I loved it, you did excellent" Faith smiled at her mother's response and begun to skip next to Cindy.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
That May  
"Mommy!!!" "Wake up!" Faith screamed to her mother, who was fast asleep in her bed "Wake up wake up wake up" she chanted as she tugged on Cindy's sleeve  
  
"Wha.wha?" Cindy rambled still half-unconscious.  
  
"Mom!" she said on last time  
  
"What is it sweetie?!" Cindy sat up in her bed, her eyes just opening, after her vision had cleared she stared at her daughter  
  
Faith jumped onto Cindy's lap then started bouncing up and down on her big, luxurious bed.  
  
Cindy: "Faith! Stop it! What do you want?"  
  
Faith: "Today's the day you graduate college!!" she spoke excitedly, pausing in between words because she was jumping.  
  
Cindy: "Faith." she glanced at her digital clock in the darkness of her room "It's four o'clock in the morning" she replied dryly "Go back to bed" she pleaded sleepily as she stuffed her face into her pillow  
  
Faith: "But I'm not tired" she answer still jumping on the bed  
  
Cindy: "Are you ever tired?" her muffled voice groaned from behind the pillow  
  
Faith: "Nope!" she replied happily and fully awake  
  
Cindy: "Faith if you don't let me go rest, I'm never going to get back to sleep and I'll be tired all day" "so please go to your room and ...I don't know..just stop bothering me.please" The rest of the night passed through and Faith eventually fell asleep on Cindy's bed.  
  
Cindy awoke in the morning and got ready. She had Faith get into her cutest new outfit and she waited as her family members arrived to go to her college commencement ceremony. Faith was in the living room resting on the couch and Cindy was cooking dinner in the kitchen when the first knock on the door was heard.  
  
Cindy glanced into the mirror, sliding a stray strand of her elegant blonde hair behind her ears. She extended her hand to open the door. She opened it and  
  
Rhonda: "Cindy! Darling!" her mother exclaimed and she extended her hands openly and embraced her daughter lovingly. She kissed her once on each cheek and was dressed, ravishingly in a long white fur coat and a fine silk shirt and black pants. Her black beautiful hair shined in it's ornate French twist atop Rhonda's head.  
  
Cindy: "Hi mom" she said returning her gestures  
  
Rhonda: "Your father will be in in a moment dear, he's just giving the keys to the valet" "Now how is my favorite girl doing?" she spoke in a voice that poured wealth out of it's tone. "I can't believe my little Cindy is finally graduating College!" she said excitedly  
  
Cindy: "I know, I'm really exci-" she stopped talking when her mother whipped her fur coat into Cindy's face. "Paauf!" she sputtered as she spit the fur that had gone into her mouth out. "You know, fur coats are cruelty to animals" she protested  
  
Rhonda: "Oh please, Cindy" "You never cared about that before" her mother said over ruling her. Cindy sighed and put her mothers coat into the closet. "So we have to be leaving shortly if we are going to get there on time am I right?"  
  
Cindy: "Yes mother" "We have to leave in a few minutes, I have to wake up Faith, she's sleeping on the couch" Her mother gave her a repulsed look. "Yes Mom! Of course we are taking her, she is my daughter remember?" Cindy replied annoyed  
  
Rhonda: "Oh..yes" Rhonda had never been fond of the idea that Cindy had a child at such a young age with a man that was never there. She highly resented Cindy's stubbornness when it came to dating, she'd always suggest who she considered eligible and Cindy would never even go out on one date.  
  
Michael: "Hello Cindy sweetheart" her father said as he opened up her apartment door.  
  
Cindy: "Hi Daddy!" she replied enthusiastically and she ran up to him and hugged him. Her voice was much more full of excitement when she greeted her father, a more kindly soul than her mother.  
  
Michael: "My princess is going to be a college graduate!" she smiled big at his voice  
  
Rhonda: "Michael, we are going to be late for Cindy's ceremony, now lets hurry this along" "And grab the child off of the couch, Cindy and I will head outside.turn off the oven too" in some ways Rhonda reminded Cindy so much of herself, she was assertive and good-willed just like her. But in other ways they where so different. Cindy's mother tried to run her life, she wanted to make it on her own but her mother would always insist whatever she wanted. She wanted Cindy to be her copy, her twin. But Cindy wanted to be just the opposite though, her own person.  
  
Michael: "Lighten up Rhonda" he responded but never failed complete all the tasks she had told him to finish.  
  
They had gotten to the ceremony on time, Cindy was met there by Hugh and Judy who sat along with her parents and Faith as she graduated. Taking another step on the giant staircase of life. After she had received her diploma they had gone out for a delicious celebration dinner. They had said their good byes. Cindy went home and warmly tucked her adorable daughter in her bed from the long day, she walked over into the dimly lit kitchen with her diploma in her hand. She had put it in a frame and nailed a nail into the wall next to her high school diploma. She carefully placed her College Diploma on the wall. She stood back from it proudly, she had waited four years to get that piece of paper and now it was hers. How she wished Jimmy was there with her again! She would have climbed the highest mountain, and trailed the longest trek to get him back. She loved him with all her heart, she missed Jimmy immensely, she wanted to be loved again like Jimmy loved her, she wanted to be held and told she was beautiful. She thought carefully of how much Faith seemed to miss having a father figure around the house, she thought of how she missed having a boyfriend. Should she give up on Jimmy? She sighed and shook her head  
  
Cindy: "What am I thinking?" she questioned of herself "I have to wait for him" but each day her hope dwindled smaller and smaller. Making her lonely on the inside. She yearned for Jimmy sometimes. But time passed and her love grew weak, she scarcely remembered how it felt to be in love anymore. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
3 years later  
  
Faith: "Mom!" she screamed out of her room. Faith had grown into an adorable little six year old. She was in first grade, and the smartest in her class. Her beautiful chestnut brown hair, was shimmering like always and her energetic blue eyes lit up the room. "I'm gonna miss the bus if Mrs.O'Brien doesn't take me down to the stop!"  
  
Cindy : "Yes..No! Tell them to sell, I don't care what the advisors say.just do it!' she screamed as she pressed the end button on her cell phone after yelling at one of her employees. "What honey?!" she bellowed from her room, while sitting at her computer table. She sat vigorously typing away at her computer. "Oh.okay sweetie..just call her up in room..what was it? 405?" "Yah well, call her then she'll come down and get you.I have to go to work in a little bit any ways!" she yelled up to her daughter.  
  
Faith: "Okay I'm ready" she appeared in the doorway and then slid out of view before Cindy could glance at her.  
  
Cindy: "Hun come here so I can say goodbye" "Faith?"  
  
Faith: "Bye" she said while reappearing in the doorway with a sigh. Cindy let out a small laugh.  
  
Cindy: "No, no you can't wear that" she said still smiling, and looking at her computer.  
  
Faith: "But mom!" "All the girls in my class are wearing them!" she begged  
  
Cindy: "No honey I'm sorry, your only six years old, you don't need to wear a belly shirt" "where did you even get that?"  
  
Faith: "Grandma.." She spoke downtrodden  
  
Cindy: "My mother bought that for you?" she said raising her eyebrows and questioning with a very surprised tone  
  
Faith: "No, Granny Neutron"  
  
The doorbell rang and the chimes echoed throughout Cindy's apartment.  
  
Cindy: "That's Mrs.O'Brien, go let her in" "But look before you open the door" she warned. Cindy was again typing, she worked hard and loved it. It kept her active and awake, she needed the pressure. It was the only thing she enjoyed. She was twenty-four years old and held a powerful position at a local corporation already.  
  
Faith's ride entered the apartment and said hello to Cindy, the usual mother talk. Then her and Faith where off. Cindy only carpooled twice a week, Mrs.O' Brien did the other three. Mrs.O' Brien was really Mrs.Luke, three years before she has lost her husband to the war. Cindy remembered comforting her when she got her letter, she was the first to receive one in their apartment building, then followed many others. That was the day Cindy first saw the army men coming to their apartment and she ran upstairs fearing they where there for her. But Mrs.Luke remarried, and became the wife of Danny O' Brien, they had one child named Isabelle.  
  
Cindy asked once if she ever felt guilty of remarrying another man. She never really got a strait answer from her so she figured it was best not to ask. "Bye Honey!" Cindy shouted from her office. Faith said goodbye back and then the apartment door clicked shut. Cindy had called Libby earlier that morning to go out for a short breakfast before she had to go to work. So she should have been arriving any time now.  
  
Cindy concentrated back on her typing, she was filing a report for her boss. She had neat black business attire on, and a skirt with a suit jacket top, that complimented her slim figure beautifully. Her hair was down, a short length past her shoulders and glimmering in the light as usual. About an hour past, and the doorbell rang again.  
  
Cindy: "Must be Libby" she thought out loud to herself. "One second!" she screamed to the unopened door. She grabbed her coffee cup off of her desk and clicked the computer program off her screen.  
  
Libby had married Sheen in the three years that had past, much to Cindy's dismay . On the contrary, they were very happy together. Sheen had become the proud father of a baby boy, which they had named Nathan. He has been drafted himself to serve in the army just like he had suspected, but lucky for him he had broken his leg by tripping over his Ultra Lord collection in his room, so he would be no use to the army. He had ripped a piece of cartilage in the back of his knee cap when he fell, and now walked with a tiny limp because he refused to have crutches when he was healing. No army official would send him onto the battlefield. Cindy had often been jealous of her best friend for having a husband, but that jealousy never lasted for long. Her and Libby where friends until the end, and they always where close. She walked up from her desk grabbing her briefcase in one hand and her coffee in the other. She walked to her door and put the briefcase down beside it while she grabbed her coat from the closet.  
  
Cindy: "I'll just open the door first" she said as she pulled open her apartment door. When she did she did not see Libby and her baby in front of her. But a man, he was tall and very good looking, his brown hair looked dirty and snarled. He looked as if he hadn't shaved. His face was dirty and he was dressed in an army camouflage outfit, he had a jacket draped over his right shoulder and looked up to her. His eyes were a majestic blue.  
  
Man: "Hey stranger" was what he said. Cindy's eyes widened and she dropped her coffee cup, it shattered on the ground.  
  
Cindy: "Jimmy?" her voice has small, her eyes where filled with tears. He nodded to her. "Jimmy!!" she started to cry as she leaped into his arms. He picked her up off the ground and hugged her tightly. He closed his eyes and tears streamed out of his as well. When they where finally done hugging each other they needn't speak any more words, Jimmy lead her into her bedroom, he pulled off her clothes and his own, they had a time greater than the night before he left. Then Cindy spoke, out of breath and tired, underneath the covers of her bed, with Jimmy lying next to her. ".wait" she said  
  
Jimmy: "What is it?" He looked to her face with the deepest of eyes.  
  
Cindy: "Why did you come back?" she questioned  
  
Jimmy: "When your drafted into the army, you only have to serve six years, it's a United States law" he explained. Cindy nodded small. Then another questioned tapped at her mind.  
  
Cindy: "Why didn't you ever write me again?" she asked more seriously  
  
Jimmy: "I told you I wouldn't be able to write for a while.."  
  
Cindy: "But six years!?" she asked him "Do you have any idea what I went through all that time!?" "Do you have any idea how it made me feel to know you might have been slaughtered by some enemy on the battlefield!?" "How I must have felt to know that you might not even be alive!?" "That I might have been waiting for somebody who was never coming back!?" she had become frustrated and was yelling and crying. Jimmy furrowed his eyebrows.  
  
Jimmy: "Listen to me Cindy" he said pulling her face to look at his. "I know I did that and I'm sorry, I know I should have written you, but there was no time" "And don't you ever talk to me about how you must have felt, what about what I felt huh?!" "Do you have any idea the types of gut wrenching, horrific, terrible, cruel, unbearable things I saw over there?! Do you?" "The things that happened over there weren't human" "War isn't human..it's for crazy, psychotic beasts" "Every night I couldn't even sleep, everyday one of my friends would get killed, everyday.." "Everyday I would think of you, every second knowing you might have given up on me and married some other man." "I had to kill people Cindy!" "I had to shoot other human beings and kill them!" "How do you think I feel? I'm a murderer" then he quieted his tone down "But every time I had to fight.and saw someone come towards me.I told myself it was either going to me or him..and if I ever wanted to see your beautiful angel face again, then I'd have to make the shot.." "You have no idea the kinds of choices I had to make...you have no idea what it was like" his face became solemn and saddened, his expression fell into darkness as he reflected on the horrors of fighting in a war.  
  
Cindy stared at him, she had stopped crying  
  
Jimmy: "It was the most terrifying thing I've ever done, I thank god he let me live and come back to you.." "There were so many less fortunate than I" "But what's important is that I'm here, with you, from now until forever, and we can married just like we where going to"  
  
Cindy stared Jimmy in the eyes like she was searching his soul. She reached her hand out and placed it gently on the side of his face.  
  
Cindy: "It's like your back from the dead" she whispered. Jimmy looked at her strangely. "I've lived without you for six years of my life.and your back in it again" "I thought you were gone for good"  
  
Jimmy then placed his hand on top of hers and pulled it off his face.  
  
Jimmy: "I know.I know its hard to have me just waltz back in again, but Cindy I love you"  
  
Cindy's heart skipped a beat. He loved her? He loved her? Oh how long she had waited to hear those words! All the emotions she had missed over the years flooded back towards her like a waterfall. She smiled back at him and answered  
  
Cindy: "I love you too, were gonna make this work Jimmy" he smiled at her "I know you must have been through a lot..and I know some things are going to be hard for you" "But the important thing is like you said.were together again" ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
Cindy stood along with Jimmy in the kitchen, he told her of how he first went to see his parents and their overwhelmingly joyous reaction to his return. He told her of how he had contacted her mother and father to find out where she was living.  
  
Jimmy: "I thought your mom was going to faint when I said it was me on the phone.ha..it was funny" he chuckled lightly as he remembered the sound of her mothers voice. The handle on the door of Cindy's apartment started turning open, then it swung inside and a little girl walked in from her day at school.  
  
Faith: "Hi Mommy.Hi---" she looked at Jimmy with a sinister glance "Who are you?" she questioned coldly  
  
Jimmy stood silent, staring at her. He looked at her beautiful soft curled brown hair, and her deep, sky blue eyes staring up at him.  
  
Jimmy: "Oh my god.." "Is that?" Cindy nodded to Jimmy as he stood awestruck watching who he knew was his daughter of whom he'd only had one picture of her, when she was just born.  
  
Faith: "Mom..who is this guy?" she asked of her mother, confused. Cindy walked close to Faith and went behind her.  
  
Cindy: "You don't recognize him?" she asked "Look harder" she instructed. Faiths eyes glided over Jimmy's features and along his face. She studied him and looked toward her mother still confused. "Faith...that's your father" Faith gasped.  
  
Faith: "Daddy!?" "Your alive!!" she ran to him and sprang into his arms  
  
Jimmy: "Oh my beautiful little girl, I love you so much, I love you, I love you" he said while squeezing her. After he had put her down. She looked up to him, her eyes where big and filled with happiness.  
  
Faith: "You looked just like I imagined" she smiled  
  
Jimmy: "Your more beautiful than I could have ever imagined in my wildest dreams babe" he said smiling, this was what he was fighting for, that's why he had not gotten killed, he had to come back to her. That's what kept him alive, the need to come back and see the two most wonderful women in the world and keep them safe and happy.  
  
Cindy and Jimmy got married no more than a week later, Jimmy and Cindy were the happiest people in the world again. They had a perfect little family. Sheen and Carl, and Libby were overjoyed to know Jimmy was there again. Though Jimmy still had frequent flashbacks of the horrible memories of fighting, he was the luckiest man alive, as he considered himself to be with Cindy and his beautiful daughter again.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Yay!!!! That chapters done!!!! I hope you all liked it.sorry it was kind of long.but I love to write so I can't help it! ^^ I think that might be the last chapter, but I was also thinking of making on more short chapter about how their lives are now that Jimmy's back, so I'll decide whether to do that or not later ^^ Please R/R ^^ I know this story is kind of sad in light of what's happening in the world today, but I wanted to express the point of a soldier who went to war through this story so I really hope you like it ^^ Please R/R * ~Cindy V.~* 


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